Trump Ballroom Funded by Major Donors, Including Adelson and Tech Giants
New records reveal major donors to Trump’s White House ballroom, including Miriam Adelson and tech firms, raising questions about funding sources.
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Newly obtained records have revealed the full list of major donors who contributed to President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom project, including names not previously disclosed, according to a report by The Washington Post. The report highlights a significant financial backing from prominent figures and corporations, with contributions totaling $333 million. At least $77 million of this came from anonymous donors.
Key Donors and Contributions
Among the biggest contributors were Miriam Adelson, a pro-Israel oligarch who gave $25 million; tech giants Apple and Nvidia, each contributing $25 million; and Charles Ergen, co-founder and chairman of Dish Network, who also donated $25 million. Despite Trump’s claim that the ballroom would be ‘paid for a hundred percent by me and some friends of mine,’ no personal funds have been allocated to the project.
Other notable donors included Google, which gave $22 million through the John P. Coale Esq. Trust of settlement funds from Trump’s YouTube lawsuit; The Laura & Isaac Perlmutter Foundation Inc., contributing over $20 million; Lockheed Martin with $10 million; Microsoft, also giving $10 million; and AI surveillance firm Palantir, which donated the same amount. Three-quarters of the total funding came from donors who gave $5 million or more.
Previously Undisclosed Donors
The report also identified previously undisclosed donors, including Joseph Popolo Jr., U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands, and his wife, who contributed $1 million two months after his confirmation. Isabela Herrera, daughter of Julio Herrera Velutini, pledged $2.5 million for the project and made a $835,000 payment in October 2025. Herrera’s father, Julio Herrera Velutini, was indicted by the Department of Justice in 2022 and received a pardon from Trump in January.
Charles Ergen, whose company EchoStar was investigated by the FCC in May 2025, negotiated a deal with AT&T and had the investigation dropped in September 2025. Ergen then made two $12.5 million donations to the ballroom project. Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, contributed $1 million in September 2025, with two additional $1 million donations in December 2025 and January 2026. Just three days before the latter, the Department of War awarded Salesforce a $5.6 billion contract through 2035.
Neoconservative billionaire Paul Singer pledged $5 million in October 2025, and his hedge fund secured court approval to acquire Citgo, the Venezuelan oil giant, for $5.9 billion just a month later.
Source: Daily Caller
